Playstyle Ideas?

I focus a lot on the community aspect. I fill my game with locations and events that might require some imagination, but that helps me form the community. It's like a huge everlasting puzzle. I switch active households often, and with the community background it's not very important who I play. This way I get variety, too.

I run a Council House, every 5th year there is an election, and the 5 Councilors are given either Department Law & Justice, Trades & Taxes, Culture & Entertainment, Health & Welfare or Science & Education. One of them (most often the one at Law & Justice) will be the Mayor.

I don't necessarily play out the Council in detail, but I found this routine to work well when I want to add something, or to make sure existing routines are kept active. Say, when I want to build and equip a Retirement Home, the Health&Welfare Councilor will take the job of organizing it.

I also have photographers specializing on family portraits, celebrity promo portraits, or even pet photos. Any sim who has a job will specialize according to the community. Say, a sim will not just be in the Business career, but will also have defined goals and tasks - like working with timber import, happy to reach level 5.

I have a social status system too, making it a bit harder to find spouses. Most high status families will want to secure their status through the main heir's marriage, and those on lower levels might dream of climbing a bit.

I have a very old tradition when naming a baby, a system I used ever since TS1. In short, the baby gets first and last letter from grandparents, but whatever in between is open. There is also a system to pick traits, securing that most kids will get one trait from each parent - but not always.

All in all, giving my sims (families) a community function, some history and some hopes for the future, makes the game feel more established. Even if I take a few weeks break, I know most of the residents pretty well, and can quickly look them up in my residents registry, too.

PS: There are several videos with more detail from how I play on my Youtube channel. The "As Sims Go By" series is based on my Council.

@Simmerville may I just say, after watching the first episode of As Sims Go By, that you put an incredible amount of effort into your videos? Really cool to see!

"RavenSpit;c-17114871" wrote:

Make a family/ household with only bad mannered sims, lazy, mean, evil, erratic and so forth.
The goal won't be to turn children into wonderful adults but the opposite, they should get all the negative traits from parenthood when they turn into young adults.

Yes! I currently have a save dedicated to playing as an awful (but loving) father who aims to mold his son into the ultimate villain to take his place, and it is so much fun!

The problem I faced a long time ago was trying to Max out all the skill Levels, reach the top of the career branches, getting Gold, or whatever to have "Perfect" events. Making my sims wealthy. Then I remembered, In real Life, I'm not at all Career driven, and my aspirations are pretty simple

Also, this is My Story, the Sims are just empty husks, to fulfill certain roles of characters. I don't have to conform to "the Lore of the Sims" I can play this game my Way. you know I don't call things like So this was a major realization to have more fun.

So at Birthdays, Weddings, Events and Active Careers, I do what I want to have a successful event, so getting Bronze, Gold or silver means absolutely nothing.

I don't strive for sims to reach top level career promotions.
My Sim, Ursula Hudson Originally, I wanted her to own a 5-Star Restaurant, but while she was humble she was fine with that, until she met her ex-husband, He will corrupt her in many ways, to be more ambitious and at the same time try to "domesticate" her. and that is why he is going to be her ex-husband.

Same thing with other sims, My Police Sim all he wanted, career wise, was to be a Detective. So Becoming Senior Detective, will be his highest promotion.

For me to have more fun I had to strip the game of all Premades, and Create and rebuild Sims, Homes, and Lots, and Fully Customize the worlds to my own needs. It really helps make going to Places like working at the Hospital, Police Station, or Science Labs more enjoyable. Seeing familiar faces, instead of random townies, wearing random outfits and such.

Using Mods, CC, and Cheat to your absolute disposal. especially if you are a story teller, and a control freak like me, It's okay to make your sims wealthy from the get go. I have Several characters who are Mansion Barons and Fabulously wealthy, and they have several more aspirations to get, but to Start us off, I wanted my Characters to have certain Skills, and backgrounds in order before I start playing.

Other Challenges, I think helped is the History Challenge and Supernatural Aspect. because It domino'd into the Generational/Legacy aspect.

"SimTrippy;c-17115791" wrote:
@Simmerville may I just say, after watching the first episode of As Sims Go By, that you put an incredible amount of effort into your videos? Really cool to see!

Thanks @SimTrippy :) I have lots of fun making them.

"Simmerville;c-17115819" wrote:

"SimTrippy;c-17115791" wrote:
@Simmerville may I just say, after watching the first episode of As Sims Go By, that you put an incredible amount of effort into your videos? Really cool to see!

Thanks @SimTrippy :) I have lots of fun making them.

It's visible! I got some translations to get through but I'll try to catch the second episode later on, kinda curious now. Oh and I forgot to give you a thumbs up for the first one so I'll do that then too. Thanks for sharing, it's really cool!